


Home to Atlantis

by inuyashamunkey



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, But he does it for Shiro, Drowning, Forced Suicide, Haggar is terrible, Implied/Referenced Torture, It's sad that he has to die for it, Kidnapping, Lance drowning in his own element how tragic, Lance is underappreciated, Lance loves the water, Langst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Muzzle, Shance is implied, Suicide, Threats, but here we are, mentions of vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 21:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16503122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inuyashamunkey/pseuds/inuyashamunkey
Summary: Lance would die a thousand times for his life meant nothing, not in the grand scheme of things, especially if it meant that Shiro would live, if only for a while longer.At least Lance could die feeling like he had finally done something for someone he cared about, feeling like maybe he wasn't totally useless.Just this once.





	Home to Atlantis

**Author's Note:**

> Back at it again with the angst glad you're here.

His skin is dry and cracked, peeling in some places. His skincare routine had been neglected for far too long, that much he knew. He didn't know quite how long, the questioning and suffering had gone on in such a pattern that Lance couldn't even begin to decipher which day was which as every day felt exactly the same.

_Pain, words, blood, pain, words, blood, pain, pain, pain._

The warm body next to him shifted but Lance didn't have the energy to move and see what was happening. He mourned the loss of warmth the second it left his side and curled up in a weak, loose ball.

There was a cold hand on his shoulder then, gently shaking. This hand didn't scare him, no, this hand iced his bruises, it didn't aim to earn him more. "Lance."

He blinked his eyes open and then squinted. They stung. Not by the light, there was no light in this place save for the purple glow coming through the slats in the door. Shiro was leaned over him, tired and gaunt, but mostly concerned.

Shiro smiled softly and raised his hand to Lance's cheek, rubbing away some of the grime gently. "Are you okay?"

"Are either of us okay?" Lance croaked sarcastically, his throat torn to shreds from screaming.

"They'll come," Shiro promised quietly, "you just have to hold on until then."

"It's been-" Lance paused to clear his throat and winced as the taste of blood presented itself on his dry tongue. When was the last time he'd had water? "-too long. They...aren't coming, Shiro."

"They are," Shiro insisted. He put his flesh hand underneath Lance's neck and put his robotic arm at the small of his back, lifting him up into his lap and letting him lean against his chest. "But, for now, you need to eat."

There was a tray with a slop of gray gunk that Lance had taken to calling 'The Stuff' on the tray, oddly keeping its shape as Shiro spooned a bit out and pressed it to Lance's lips. Lance's stomach protests weakly and he turns his head t Shiro's neck.

Shiro brought his other hand on Lance's head, gently petting, "Please?"

Lance was boneless in Shiro's lap and he felt tears spring his eyes, he pressed his face harder against Shiro's wiry neck. He shook his head, "I can't," He said quietly, pained. "I'm sorry, I  _can't._ "

Shiro pulled him closer, "Just a bite, that's it."

"I'll puke it up later," Lance said, knowing that, soon, he'd be dragged out of this cell and away from Shiro. There was always pain when Shiro wasn't around and he never came back to Shiro with a full stomach.

Or a clear head.

"Let your body have what it can until then. Please, Lance?" Shiro said, pleading. Lance twisted his hand into the thin material of Shiro's tunic, Shiro sounded sad and Lance hated making Shiro sad.

Shiro didn't deserve this. 

He finally gave in, opening his trembling jaw and letting Shiro spoon the gray muck into his mouth, trying not to gag. It didn't taste bad, it could've been much worse, but Lance knew what it tasted like when it came back up and it was far from pleasant.

He choked it down and rested his head against Shiro's collarbone once more, letting out a puff of air. They sit like this for a while, Shiro eating the rest of The Stuff while trying to get Lance to eat another spoonful every once in a while and Lance hiding his face, trying not to cry when Shiro sighed sadly at his every denial.

He was trying, just maybe not hard enough. If he had tried harder, maybe Shiro wouldn't be here, maybe Voltron wouldn't be ruined. He was the blue paladin, but he was nothing irreplaceable, not like Shiro.

And the universe would suffer for his mistakes.

All too soon, he could hear the door rattle and he could feel Shiro tighten his arms as if he was going to resist, but they'd tried that already and it had gone terribly. Shiro didn't try to hold onto him again, not even if he asked him to.

Shiro started to loosen his grip while Lance held on tighter but they both froze when the usually silent guard spoke, "Both of you are being asked for."

Lance could feel the caution in Shiro's movements as he tightened the arm wrapped around Lance's back and put the other one under his legs, lifting him up. Lance was grateful that he wouldn't have to walk to his doom today, but he was anxious as to why both of them were being brought in. He clutched Shiro more tightly.

Lance could feel every turn that they took, but he didn't lift his head, he'd given up on memorizing the tunnels a long time ago. He heard a door open and felt Shiro slow, felt Shiro try to press him closer to his chest, a comfort that Lance took in greedily.

"Oh, our guests of honor have arrived." Lance stiffened at the sound of Haggar's voice, a whimper building in his throat. He wished Shiro had enough arm span to cover him completely, to stop the druid from looking at him like he knew she was.

"What is the meaning of this, Haggar?" Shiro asked. Shiro hadn't lost any of the strength behind his words since their capture, and Lance admired him for it. Admired his unshakeable strength.

"Remove the blue one from the champion," Haggar said, completely ignoring Shiro's question.

Lance soothed a hand over Shiro's tensed jaw- _It's okay_ \- and Shiro loosened his arms. Not a second later, Lance was grabbed by the arm and thrown to the ground, away from Shiro. He didn't move from where he lied.

"Lance!" Shiro yelled. He heard a shuffle and a grumble from Shio, "Let go of me!"

Lance heard Haggar click her tongue, "Quiet him."

Lance lifted his head in worry, only able to hold it up long enough to meet Shiro's eyes as Shiro was muzzled. His head dropped back down, the muffled sounds of Shiro's protests the only noise he found himself able to focus on.

Lance was grabbed roughly by his arm and brought to his knees to face Haggar but his eyes stubbornly did not lift, not even as she grabbed his chin and jerked his head up. He received a harsh smack across the face for his troubles and he tried his best to ignore the pained sound Shiro made behind him. He lifted his eyes to meet Haggar's disgusting yellows ones and she smiled, pleased.

"That's it," She crooned, "I prefer people to be looking at me when I speak. Now, look over there," She jerked his chin to the side to look at the large pool sat in the middle of the room, gleaming blue. "doesn't that look refreshing?"

He didn't give a reply, but Haggar didn't seem to be waiting for one. "Sit them over there," she pointed to the wall closest to the pool's edge.

Once more, lance was grabbed and, due to his inability to stand, his knees were scraped against the concrete as he was dragged to the wall and thrown down. He only managed a weak groan as his head hit the ground, black dotting his vision. Shiro was plopped down right next to him and immediately Shiro moved to cover Lance as best he could.

"How sweet," Haggar said in a coo, "always eager to jump to the blue one's protection, aren't you? Well, maybe it's his turn to protect you, hm?"

Lance opened his eyes only to glare at her, suspicious of what she had planned.  "I thought we could play a game, today," Haggar said. Lance's stomach dropped with dread.

Haggar walked over to one of the Galra who had dragged Lance over and promptly pulled his blaster out of its holster. Shiro stiffened and Lance heard him suck in a sharp breath.

Lance felt horror creeping up his throat, setting his nerves afire as she moved to stand where she was, blaster in hand. She waved it around as if it wasn't a dangerous weapon, as if it were a mere children's toy. "Oh, you both look so worried. No need, this game is quite simple, you see."

Her lips curled up into a cruel and crooked grin, "Neither of you look very excited, don't you want to know the rules?"

Neither of them spoke. Shiro for obvious reasons, but Lance's vocal cords had seized at the sight of the blaster, vicious thoughts running through his head as he pondered what it would be used for.

_It wasn't that hard to guess, someone was going to get shot and Lance couldn't move so it was going to be Shiro--_

Haggar waved her hand and Shiro was abruptly pulled away from Lance, his eyes locked onto the weapon and his jaw visibly tense. Lance felt horribly exposed, but at least this way he was sure Shiro wasn't going to get shot.

Hopefully.

"Now, blue paladin the rules are simple, are you listening?" She paused for a second and once his eyes had met hers, she continued. "Good. Now, I'll give you two choices. Either you take this gun and shoot yourself in the head, forcing your dear black paladin to witness the gruesomeness your  _merciful_ death, or..."

Shiro had started yelling angrily, but Lance couldn't make out any words through the blood rushing in his ears, the anxiety forming a well in his belly.

Haggar stepped aside, letting Lance see a clear view of the sparkling blue water behind her, "...you can jump into this pool  _willingly_  and meet a painful death by the element you were made to dominate. You could choose to do neither, of course, but," she pointed the blaster at Shiro and Lance swore his heart stopped, "your black paladin will meet an...  _unfortunate_  end in your stead."

Shiro started yelling in earnest and, instead of looking annoyed, she waved her hand at the Galra holding Shiro, "Take his muzzle off, allow them to decide together. It will be the last thing they ever do as a team, after all, let them enjoy it."

The muzzle is taken off and Shiro leaned forward as much as is captors would allow, tears brimming in his eyes as he said, "Please, lance, don't do this."

The threat of Shiro's life had given Lance some strength and he pushed himself upon weary arms, ignoring how they screamed. Tears were already spilling down his cheeks and he found himself unable to say more than, "I'm sorry, Shiro."

"No, Lance,  _please_." Shiro's voice sounded congested. "I  _need_ you.  _The team_ needs you."

Lance shook his head, tears dripping down on the concrete while his face remained blank. "No, Allura can fly the blue lion, Shiro, you...you don't need me. I'm the least talented of all the paladins, you...you guys will be better off without me."

"No, that isn't true. Please, lance, think about what you're doing," Shiro pleaded. "The team will fall apart. Think about  _Hunk!_ "

Lance smiled bitterly and he finally made himself meet Shiro's eyes. He almost crumbled at the sight of the man's tears, but he held steady. "You'll be okay. You were okay before me, Hunk was okay before me, you'll be okay after me, I promise."

"No,  _Lance-!_ "

Lance ignored whatever he had to say and met Haggar's eyes evenly, "Promise...promise that you'll let him go back to Voltron if I do this."

Haggar's lips pulled up into a sharp, greasy grin, "Since this is a special occasion, I will accept your terms. The black paladin will be released the second my medic deems the deed done. You have the empire's word."

_"She's lying-!"_

Lance gave a single nod and stood on shaky legs. He took two short steps to Shiro and nobody stopped him- he probably wasn't enough of a threat, not with the way he _shook_ \- and he fell before Shiro who looked panicked and worried and  _scared._

Maybe Lance did deserve this, if only for putting that look on his face. He grasped Shiro in a brief hug, "I'm sorry. I love you. Tell the team I love them. Tell my parents."

"Lance you don't have to--" Shiro started to ramble, but Lance cut him off.

"Please," He said sharply. He softened his voice,  _"Please."_

Shiro swallowed visibly, sweat beading on his temple and dripping down, intermingling with his tears. He shook his head, "No, Lance, _you can't._ "

"I can," Lance said softly. "Let me protect you, just this once."

Lance stood and met Haggar's eyes, she offered up the gun but he shook his head, he couldn't make Shiro watch that, he had enough trauma and the last thing he needed to see was Lance's innards splattered across the walls etched into his memory forever.

Soon, he stood at the edge of the pool, looking into the clear blue water, and he couldn't help the rueful smile that pulled at his lips.

Home came to mind as he looked down into the water. The water had always been home--

_(-The waves, the beach, the sun, his sisters, **joy** -)_

\--And Lance couldn't help but think that it was fitting for him to succumb to the element, if not ironic.

He turned on his heel and met Shiro's eyes, casting him one last smile before he took a deep breath and let himself fall. Shiro's cry was the last thing he heard before water plunged around him, filling his ears and deafening him.

He hadn't held his breath and the cool liquid flooded his lungs almost instantly. His eyes stung as he kept them open, and he wished he could see the sun instead of the synthetic lights overhead, but he could, at the very least, be glad that he died in the soothing embrace of what he loved rather than bleeding out on a cold, sterile table.

_**Will you hate me in your last moments?** The waves ask._

_No,_ Lance thought,  _I love you too much._

In the back of his mind, he felt Blue prodding frantically, and he smiled. Blue loved Allura, they would mesh better than she and Lance ever had, he was sure.

Fight or flight kicked in and as Lance started to struggle he could barely make out Haggar looking into the water above him as his vision started going dark, taking joy in watching him die.

It hurt, dying, but if it allowed Shiro to live, he would go through it for an eternity. 

His head went numb without oxygen and soon he could see no longer, feel no longer.

He let himself succumb, let his soul guide itself home.

_Atlantis._

**Author's Note:**

>  **I'm taking prompts for Bad Things Happen Bingo on my Tumblr:** one-trigger-lullaby.tumblr.com
> 
> (Updated bingo card is linked on the side of my blog)


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